Mr. Chataut: Nepal's Most Wanted person

Kathmandu: Former Tourism minister Tarini Datt Chataut who has been served notice by the Patan Apellate court to present himself before the judicial authority within a month or so is still at large.

Mr. Chataut allegedly is one who enjoyed immense benefits from the most infamous Lauda air procurement deals.

The former minister has become Nepal's Most Wanted Person because he is being searched by the competent Nepal's police force since two weeks or so but in vain.

To recall, former minister Chataut vanished in Kathmandu's thin air together with yet another most wanted personality involved in the Lauda embezzlement is RNA's marketing director Ram Raj Upadhyaya.

However, his intimate party colleagues located former minister Chataut last week at Koirala's official residence who had perhaps come there to attend a party meeting. It was his first "appearance" in the society after his "grand escapade" last month.

Were Prime Minister a truly law abiding citizen and a committed democrat, he should have informed the police and managed the arrest of Chataut right inside his official quarter on that day. However, he did not for unknown reasons.

Most fortunately, hundreds and thousands of NTV watchers could yet again see the face of the 'most wanted person' Monday evening that was seen quietly listening to the House proceedings amidst the crowd of the lawmakers.

Question now arises as to why the Nepal police who could nab the rest of the RNA officials involved in the Lauda air deal from their private bed-rooms could not approach Chataut with firm hands? This also means that the police is afraid of the would be wrath from some powerful quarters should they nab former minister Chataut on their own. But question arises who could be those great personalities at the higher political echelons acting like a shield to defend Chataut and for what reasons? Intriguing indeed.

In effect, the police know the whereabouts of Chataut. The police also have seen Chataut twice at two different occasions: the first time in Baluatar and very recently inside the parliament on June 25 afternoon.

It is time that those who were behind Chataut impress upon him to present himself before the court and face the court as a brave boy.

Absconding for longer periods for fear of penal actions will only double the people's suspicion.

20th session likely to be decisive!

Kathmandu: A UML press gathering prior to the opening of the 20th session of the parliament signaled the opposition posture that the government will not be given respite this session too. All other opposition parties appear to be taking a similar stand with the new Public Security Regulations as the bone of contention. The UML of course, retains its demand for the resignation of the Prime Minister. It is here that the opposition does not appear unanimous.

As the things stand, the UML will perhaps depart from its nineteenth session strategy to disrupt the House proceedings until at least discussions on the Royal address and vote of thanks. There is no indication that the Prime Minister will be allowed respite after it. It is the different standpoint on opposition that will perhaps allow Girija babu room to play. In other words, both the RPP and the Sadbhavana could perhaps be willing partners for the Prime Minister to ride the session through. This possibility perhaps has already been broached by the Girija camp explaining the new confidence in government, which prompted the sudden summoning of the parliament after considerable delays.

Of course, the national tragedy of June 1 and the enthronement of the new King is being explained as reason for the sudden summons of the summer session. This notwithstanding the fact remains that, emergency or otherwise, government must still see the session through. As much as the Prime Minister is playing the national tragedy to his advantage, the likelihood that he has succeeded in softening the opposition postures has its own advantage for the government indeed. It does look like a strategy surfacing which would provide government with willing partners in the event of crises emerging with the Left demands for resignation. The possibility that Girija babu will rope in the RPP and the Sadbhavana is high.

This would be especially lucrative for the two minor opposition parties in the event that the Prime Minister must seek recourse to yet another mid-term poll and the dissolution of the parliament. If, in the last elections, the congress had a willing partner in the UML. The two together conducted the last polls, which wiped the ML from parliament and succeeded in bringing about the current composition with a congress majority and the UML in opposition.

This session thus, could well also be a decisive one in prompting yet another mid-term in attempts to break yet another deadlock.

Again temptations to foresee the results of the possible mid-term would be premature at the moment. Regardless, one does see that the Girija camp is gaining an edge over its KP-Deuba rivals and so the possibility of both sections in the congress preferring a decisive role through general elections to break the stalemate within the party appears high. If the current Congress-ML coalition for elections to the Upper House is any indication, Girija babu would certainly find the ML a handy-tool to tame the UML if the latter precipitates an election resulting dead-lock in the 20 th session.

This notwithstanding, parliamentary politics is likely this session to precipitate more street activities than previously given the UML stance itself. It is these street activities that will have to be watched. This is especially so given that the UML still retains the leadership of the eight minor Left parties. Moreover, the Maoists' insurgency itself will have to be watched.

All combined, the 20 th session will, willy-nilly, be a decisive one.

Maoists to reap immense benefit from government-opposition tussle!

Kathmandu: Contrary to his arrogant and stubborn nature, the Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala made a fervent appeal to the entire opposition parties to shun the differences and work in unison in the broader interest of the nation.

The opposition simply listened to his rather 'modest' appeal and instantly declared that there was nothing 'new' in his fresh appeal.

Hardly had the Prime Minister made this appeal in the parliament Monday, the leader of the main opposition Madhav Kumar Nepal in no uncertain terms opined that the opposition parties were ready to serve the nation as suggested by Prime Minister Koirala provided the latter resigned at the earliest.

Madhav Nepal went to the extent in hinting Koirala to resign prior to the new King addressed the Budget session.

His Majesty the King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev is to address the joint session of the parliament this Friday afternoon. This would be his first ever address to the nation's parliament.

If Madhav Nepal's blunt expression represented the mood of the entire opposition then what could be fairly concluded is that the ongoing session too would be a chaotic one reminding the 19 th session which practically ended with no business at all.

To recall, the previous session simply got disturbed for the entire 57 days for the opposition sought the unconditional resignation of the Prime Minister for his alleged involvement in the Lauda procurement deal.

To add insult to injury, the opposition now clearly wishes to cash in on the CIAA warning served onto the heads of the Prime Minister regarding the Lauda air deal. The CIAA had warned the Prime Minister to remain 'alert' while finalizing deals of the sorts of Lauda. The corollary, as per the new stance of the opposition, has been that when the CIAA has served warnings to the Prime Minister he should resign outrightly.

Add to this, the opposition led by the UML has one more plus point in demanding Koirala's resignation.

"'Since the Prime Minister holds the portfolio of the Royal Palace affairs and hence he should take responsibility of the Royal massacre of June 1, 2001 as well", maintains the Opposition.

However, home minister Poudel rejects this theory and openly says that since the security systems inside the Palace is a matter that falls under the jurisdiction of the King and hence the government can't be held responsible in the June 1 Himalayan tragedy. A noble theory indeed!

Koirala's mental agony perhaps gets doubled when he listens the unpleasant comments from his own party quarters.

Only recently Koirala's arch rival Sher Bahadur Deuba is learnt to have told that the nation is forced to bear with a Prime Minister who is stoned while being in a procession to Aryaghat meant for the conclusion of the last rites of late King Birendra.

To recall, Koirala's car was stoned at two places by the weeping on June 2 afternoon while on his way from Chauni to Aryaghat which forced the Prime Minister to cut his route short and straight proceed to Pashupatinath Temple.

This means that Deuba continues still to be in anti-Koirala camp and prefer the ouster of his archrival as demanded by the entire opposition parties. Whether he still enjoys the blessings of his mentor, K.P.Bhattarai, will have to be watched.

Sources close to Deuba say that Bhattarai too has a one point agenda and that being Koirala ouster immaterial of the fact that who manages his ouster-the opposition led by the UML or the partymen themselves.

If this is the existing reality then Koirala definitely will have to walk a tight rope entire this session as well. A clear hint from the opposition quarters has already been signaled to Koirala.

How Koirala manages his safe landing from the ongoing budget session will have to be carefully watched. Concurrently which cards the opposition parties use this round of the parliament session to get rid of Koirala will also be presumably very interesting.

Understandably, the fight to finish tussle in between the two predictably will be at best be cashed in on by the Maoists insurgents. A windfall for the Maoists insurgents indeed.

Public Security Regulations will further destabilize Koirala regime!

Kathmandu: It is becoming increasingly clear that the impending days for the Koirala led government will be pretty rough and tough to handle with.

The government's position has almost been like that of an airplane, which has suddenly entered into the frightening air pocket while cruising in the sky.

With whatever good intentions or for that matter motive that might have prompted the Koirala establishment to bring into force the almost draconian Public Security Regulations apparently to tame the ever-growing threats of the Maoists insurgents, the fact is that it has summarily boomeranged.

The enactment of the new regulations by the government since June 4 has not only displeased the Maoists rebellions but has also to a greater extent invited wrath from the common men who fear that the regulations' arbitrary use by the local chief district officer might curtail their basic rights guaranteed by the 1990 constitution.

A cursory look at the provisions contained therein in the new regulations brought into effect since June 4, it becomes crystal clear that the Nepalese citizens, politicians and the likes will have to live totally under the mercy of the Chief District Officer.

The dangerous part of the new regulation is that if some one informs the CDO that Mr. Tom, Dick or even Harry could be dangerous to the security of the State and hence he be nabbed. And if the CDO relies on that very unsubstantiated information and acts accordingly then the tragedies that will soon encircle the person thus held under "suspect" is any body's guess.

The main opposition-the UML too is in line with all those who have been denouncing the government's fresh move regarding the enactment of the controversial new regulations.

In effect, the UML leaders on Monday prior to entering the Singh Durbar to attend the ongoing session brought out a huge demonstration chanting slogans against the new regulations.

In addition to this, several HR related organizations have already exhibited their ire through staging protest demonstrations and press comments. Some Students Unions too have summarily denounced the government's fresh move in what they call a regressive step.

Student organizations apparently affiliated to the Maoists on Monday also reportedly denounced the enactment of the Public Security Regulations at various places in the Kingdom. Unconfirmed reports say that they brought out a sizeable demonstrations right here in the capital city and demanded the annulment of the said controversial regulation.

To recall, the new regulations have already been used by the State against some incumbent Nepali lawmakers last week when they wished to condemn the governments' move through addressing a mass meeting in Lalitpur district.

The Nepalese media sector too has not taken the Public Security Regulations, PSR, in a good taste. (See five questions also).

Some enthusiasts from the law discipline have already filed a writ petition at the court hence it would be desirable to watch the verdict of the court which will definitely decide whether or not the new regulations run contra to the 1990 constitution or not.

All put together, the PSR issue will further destabilize the Koirala establishment much to the pleasure of the UML and perhaps Bhattarai-Deuba combine as well.

Meaningful dialogue could avert the impending crisis!

Kathmandu: How the entire political parties in opposition treat the fresh re-introduction of the Armed Police Force bill will also determine the tenure of Prime Minister Koirala in the current prestigious chair.

To recall, the same bill had been brought through the use of Royal Ordinance a day prior to the beginning of the previous session could not get through the parliament due to the vehement opposition and havoc created by the opposition then. This ultimately resulted in the collapse of the said bill because it could not take the form of law within sixty days of its announcement through Royal Ordinance.

The opposition maintained then that instead of bringing into effect the said bill aimed at containing the threats of the Maoists, the government should initiate meaningful dialogues with the insurgents.

However, the government rejected the offer for such dialogues with the insurgents, which were facilitated by some HR activists. However, the HR activists must continue their serious efforts aimed at bringing both to the negotiation tables.

The reintroduction of the same bill amply speaks the mind of the government vis a vis the Maoists. This also means that the Koirala regime would prefer guns and bullets instead of initiation of the talks with the Maoists in order to ease the disturbed environment of the country.

Things stand apparently changed from bad to worse after the sudden and unimaginable killing of King Birendra on June 1, 2001.

Deliberate or otherwise the Maoists do not believe the theory that late King Dipendra was the real killer who wiped out his own family and other relatives on the fateful evening of June 1 and appear hesitant in accepting the compilations of the CJ commission which amply hints that it was King Dipendra, then Crown Prince, to have committed this ghastly killing.

High placed intellectuals opine that the Maoists appear to be in a mood to cash in on the current volatile situation of the country since the killing of late King Birendra. In the process, the insurgents have stepped up their activities in the eastern parts of the country more specifically in Prime Minister own hometown district.

Reliable sources say that the Security Council, which met last Saturday, decided to proceed with the Integrated Development project as envisaged. This perhaps also means that H.M.King Gyanendra will offer his green signal for the deployment of the Military men aimed at containing the threats of the insurgents and concurrently for the mobilization of the army in developmental activities in the troubled districts in the western region. However, this remains to be substantiated by the government.

Much will depend on how the opposition takes up the issue this session regarding the mobilization of the army to the Maoists affected districts. If the mood of the opposition remain the same as exhibited in the previous session, then the results are obviously clear.

In the mean time, the Maoists have stated that they would initiate activities aimed against the government the whole of this Nepali month. The activities include lectures, wall paintings, pamphleteering and burning of the new public security regulations in various parts of the nation whose climax would be yet another Nepal Bundh scheduled for July 12 next month.

This means that a determined government and the Maoists both will confront each other resulting in the emergence of a frightening situation in the country.

Intellectuals opine that the impending fierce tussle could be averted provided wisdom prevailed on both the sides and both give preference to dialogue.

FNJ media seminar on governance

Kathmandu: The Federation of the Nepalese Journalists last week organized a seminar on 'media and good governance' at the premises of Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chabhil.

Dr. Lok Raj Baral presented his working paper, which came under scathing criticism from the attending participants who opined that the scholar's paper lacked in-depth analysis of the said topic. Some even said that the paper was not befitting to the stature of a person of the sort of Dr. Baral who is considered to be one of the senior most political scientists in the country.

At the inaugural session the office bearers of the FNJ highlighted the roles of the media in achieving good governance in the nation.

The FES had supported the FNJ financially in conducting the media seminar.

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